Method of control: 500 mg of Valtrex once a day. Was treated with Valtrex for my primary, had no outbreaks for three months. Then I started having them almost every other week, so I've just started suppressive therapy. Side effects were mild headaches and leg cramps at first, but I have no side effects now.

My story: I was infected by my husband, who was infected by his cheating ex-wife. He had suspected that he might have herpes, had several tests done, and all of them came out negative. He has a great immune system, so he rarely had/has outbreaks, and when he did they were very mild. So mild it wasn't recognizable as herpes. After we had been married for eight months, I had a very severe primary outbreak. I thought I was having a raging yeast infection, and that since I am a diabetic with a weak immune
system it was making me unusually sick. Boy, was I wrong =o). I went to see the first gynecologist I could get an appointment with, which was an agonizing five days later. He hardly spoke English, and after an excruciating pelvic exam with icy instruments, he said, "Look like Huh-peez. You have Huh-peez." I started bawling. The doctor chuckled and said, "You not going to die. Not like AIDS." At the moment that didn't
help. My husband was so sweet when I told him. This experience formed a tighter bond between us as he took care of me during my recovery, and as we researched it together.

Telling: My husband is the only person who knows. I don't feel a need to tell anyone else, and I hate the "leper" stigma that goes along with it.